YeOldeStonecat
New member
I tend to make 'em larger than the traditional hockey puck sized things you normally see..I make some whopping big fat pancake types. Also mostly meat....not the 50/50 bread/meat ratio commonly seen..I'm talking 90% or higher meat. Which, yes, makes them difficult to flip 'n serve whole..but hey, what counts is getting some on the fork..and into your mouth to enjoy!
YeOldeStonecats Crabcakes
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Couple of cans of prepped crabmeat. And....surprisingly, what I've found works out well..is also mix in one smaller package of that imitation crabmeat, the stuff based on pollack/whitefish. I was never a fan of that surimi stuff...but one time I couldn't get real crabmeat, so I used that instead, and it was kinda good. Plus...it's somewhat startchy...and since I use mostly meat, and very little filler like most places used...such as 75% breadcrumbs...it works to hold the cakes together.
So...in a big bowl....break up the canned crabmeat...kinda working it well with your fingers to try to find any shell remnants the cleaning process may have missed. And if you choose to use a package of the imitation...it's a pain..but try to shred it up with your fingers into small bits.
Now...for other stuff......
Color...I used whole bell peppers...a green one, orange one, yellow one, and a red one. Makes for nice color. Cut out stem, inners, clean out the membranes (bad flavor there)..and chop up finely.
Package of fresh cilantro....rinse very well (it's usually quite sandy)...manually pick the leaves off of the stems..discarding the stems. Then chop up, put aside by itself.
Fresh garlic...chop up a whole bulb into small bits....toss in with the peppers.
We also did a couple of yellow/orange habanero peppers...clean well, getting rid of the seeds and membranes....very finely chop up, toss into the other peppers.
Jalapeno pepper...same.
One whole sweet onion (vidalia type)...chop up..toss in with the peppers.
Large sautee pan...olive oil...now sweat that whole veggie mix..peppers 'n garlic 'n onion. Toss in some cilantro..about 1/4 of what you have. Stir..sweat until appearing 1/2 cooked..you don't want them going limp and breaking up...just get the raw edge off. Some cracked black pepper at the end....stir in, once done dump entire mixture into that big bowl you have the crabmeat waiting in.
Crack open a couple of raw eggs into that big mixing bowl
Take a few fresh limes....wash. If you have a little grater...over the big bowl grate off some of the very outer rind. Now quarter up the limes...squeeze the daylights out of them into the mixing bowl. Try to get some of the pulp in there too...it's all good!
Bread crumbs...as for an amount...I always vary...based on how "loose" or "wet" the mixture is. But as you saw in the pics...I don't put a lot of breadcrumbs into my crabcakes...mine are mostly meat. Yeah...it makes them sloppy and hard to flip when browning them...but it's the flavor that counts! So sprinkle some in...in this mixture I had..I don't think I added even one cup. Eh, maybe...but you'll figure it out when trying to make the patties.
Toss in about 1/2 of what chopped cilantro is left.
Some liberal shakes with your favorite hot pepper sauce. Of the red stuff..I like Franks/Durkees...I'm really not a fan of Tobasco..that's too..vinegary for me, I like a more pure pepper flavor. If you wish you can splash in a shake or two of white worcestershire. I also had a bottle of WalkersWood Habanero sauce...I did a few shakes of that. Some more cracked black pepper, a sprinkle of sea salt. I also melted about 1/4 stick of butter...pour that into the mix.
Mix it all up well by hand. In the meantime....a large pan, or grill, has been heating up, right? And...at this time...pre-heat your oven to 325. Apply liberal amounts of olive oil, and some pats of butter...to your pan/grill....over low-medium/medium heat. Get some baking sheets out...line with foil unless they're non-stick..and cover with olive oil and butter.
Make some patties with your hands..plop onto the pan or griddle. Using the largest spatula you can..flip when ready...you want a golden brown color on each side. Once both sides are browned...move them to the baking sheet...and stuff them into the oven for about an hour.
While they're cooking...make the sauce that you'll spoon over the top of them when serving. Mayonnaise, juice of a couple of more limes, sprinkle in some paprika and powdered cayenne pepper, and some more hot sauce. Stir well...taste test..adjust as see fit.
When cakes are done, plop 'em on the plates, using a spoon spread some of the sauce you just made over the top..sprinkle over a pinch of the leftover chopped cilantro..and maybe another quick squeeze from a lime. Enjoy!
YeOldeStonecats Crabcakes
Couple of cans of prepped crabmeat. And....surprisingly, what I've found works out well..is also mix in one smaller package of that imitation crabmeat, the stuff based on pollack/whitefish. I was never a fan of that surimi stuff...but one time I couldn't get real crabmeat, so I used that instead, and it was kinda good. Plus...it's somewhat startchy...and since I use mostly meat, and very little filler like most places used...such as 75% breadcrumbs...it works to hold the cakes together.
So...in a big bowl....break up the canned crabmeat...kinda working it well with your fingers to try to find any shell remnants the cleaning process may have missed. And if you choose to use a package of the imitation...it's a pain..but try to shred it up with your fingers into small bits.
Now...for other stuff......
Color...I used whole bell peppers...a green one, orange one, yellow one, and a red one. Makes for nice color. Cut out stem, inners, clean out the membranes (bad flavor there)..and chop up finely.
Package of fresh cilantro....rinse very well (it's usually quite sandy)...manually pick the leaves off of the stems..discarding the stems. Then chop up, put aside by itself.
Fresh garlic...chop up a whole bulb into small bits....toss in with the peppers.
We also did a couple of yellow/orange habanero peppers...clean well, getting rid of the seeds and membranes....very finely chop up, toss into the other peppers.
Jalapeno pepper...same.
One whole sweet onion (vidalia type)...chop up..toss in with the peppers.
Large sautee pan...olive oil...now sweat that whole veggie mix..peppers 'n garlic 'n onion. Toss in some cilantro..about 1/4 of what you have. Stir..sweat until appearing 1/2 cooked..you don't want them going limp and breaking up...just get the raw edge off. Some cracked black pepper at the end....stir in, once done dump entire mixture into that big bowl you have the crabmeat waiting in.
Crack open a couple of raw eggs into that big mixing bowl
Take a few fresh limes....wash. If you have a little grater...over the big bowl grate off some of the very outer rind. Now quarter up the limes...squeeze the daylights out of them into the mixing bowl. Try to get some of the pulp in there too...it's all good!
Bread crumbs...as for an amount...I always vary...based on how "loose" or "wet" the mixture is. But as you saw in the pics...I don't put a lot of breadcrumbs into my crabcakes...mine are mostly meat. Yeah...it makes them sloppy and hard to flip when browning them...but it's the flavor that counts! So sprinkle some in...in this mixture I had..I don't think I added even one cup. Eh, maybe...but you'll figure it out when trying to make the patties.
Toss in about 1/2 of what chopped cilantro is left.
Some liberal shakes with your favorite hot pepper sauce. Of the red stuff..I like Franks/Durkees...I'm really not a fan of Tobasco..that's too..vinegary for me, I like a more pure pepper flavor. If you wish you can splash in a shake or two of white worcestershire. I also had a bottle of WalkersWood Habanero sauce...I did a few shakes of that. Some more cracked black pepper, a sprinkle of sea salt. I also melted about 1/4 stick of butter...pour that into the mix.
Mix it all up well by hand. In the meantime....a large pan, or grill, has been heating up, right? And...at this time...pre-heat your oven to 325. Apply liberal amounts of olive oil, and some pats of butter...to your pan/grill....over low-medium/medium heat. Get some baking sheets out...line with foil unless they're non-stick..and cover with olive oil and butter.
Make some patties with your hands..plop onto the pan or griddle. Using the largest spatula you can..flip when ready...you want a golden brown color on each side. Once both sides are browned...move them to the baking sheet...and stuff them into the oven for about an hour.
While they're cooking...make the sauce that you'll spoon over the top of them when serving. Mayonnaise, juice of a couple of more limes, sprinkle in some paprika and powdered cayenne pepper, and some more hot sauce. Stir well...taste test..adjust as see fit.
When cakes are done, plop 'em on the plates, using a spoon spread some of the sauce you just made over the top..sprinkle over a pinch of the leftover chopped cilantro..and maybe another quick squeeze from a lime. Enjoy!
